Fire Destroys Van Buren Apartment Complex

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VAN BUREN (KFSM)--Early Thursday (Aug.9) a fire tore through the Colonial Apartment complex off Third Street in Van Buren.

A man living in the building told 5NEWS that he had just got off work and was cooking chicken. He said he fell asleep and woke up to an apartment full of smoke.

The fire destroyed nearly a dozen apartments but was able to be extinguished before it reached the rest of the apartments.

Dillon Marr said he was on his way to work when he saw smoke pouring out of the apartments. Marr called 911.

"I didn't know how many people lived there , which were empty and which were full. I would knock until I heard a little bit of movement then move to the next one to make sure everyone was up," Marr said.

Marr helped people downstairs and continued to wake up those asleep inside of the apartments, he said.

The owner of the building said no one was fatally injured but several were taken to the hospital due to smoke inhalation.

The American Red Cross was on site and helped the displaced families with temporary food, clothing and shelter.